The destructive consequences of being caught up in a criminal lifestyle lie at the heart of a new book released by a Keighley resident.
Shakeel Aziz, from Skipton Road, has published Dons of Bradistan.
The book started life as a self-help guide for young Asian men, informed by his experiences as a youth worker.
“I was a few thousand words in when I thought that this wasn’t the kind of thing young men would read,” he said. “I transformed it into an action-packed crime thriller, with an important, hard-hitting message behind it.”
Mr Aziz, 30, who has completed a degree in peace studies and politics, added: “Most of the story is set in Bradford, Leeds and Pakistan. It’s based on my personal observations, and I’m very happy with how it’s turned out.
“I was writing it in the evenings while I was studying for my degree, so it was a lot of hard work.”
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Mr Aziz has also published his final year university dissertation, which examines why some young men of Pakistani origin feel the need to join gangs.
He said he wanted to reach a wider audience for his academic work, which is called Street Gangs and Pakistani Youth.
“These boys reject both British culture and their Pakistani heritage so instead find identity and belonging in street gangs,” he added.
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